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马太福音生命读经 · 第27篇

王职事的继续（三）

The Continuation Of The King’s Ministry (3)
肆 、与罪人同欢
IV. FEASTING WITH THE SINNERS
1现在我们来到马太九章九至十七节，这是马太福音中非常细致、甜美、亲切的一段。王颁布诸天之国的宪法，并且在许多场合里表显祂作王的权柄之后，在九章九至十三节我们看见祂与罪人一同坐席。
1In 9:9-17 we come to a very fine, sweet, and intimate portion of the Gospel of Matthew. After the King decreed the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens and after He manifested His authority as the King in many situations, in 9:9-13 we see Him feasting with sinners
一 、马太蒙召
A. The Calling of Matthew
2九章九节说到马太蒙召。这一节说，『耶稣从那里往前走，看见一个人名叫马太，坐在税关上，就对他说，跟从我。他就起来，跟从了耶稣。』马太又名利未。（可二14，路五27。）他是个税吏，因神的恩典，成了一个使徒。（太十2～3，徒一13，26。）他是马太福音的作者。
2In 9:9 we have the calling of Matthew. This verse says, “ And as Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the customs office, and says to him, Follow Me. And he rose and followed Him.” Matthew was also called Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27). He was a tax collector who became an apostle by God’s grace (Matt. 10:2-3; Acts 1:13, 26). He was the writer of this Gospel
3马太的蒙召与彼得、安得烈、雅各和约翰的蒙召有些不同。彼得和安得烈蒙召时，他们正向海里撒网;雅各和约翰蒙召时，他们正在补网。主呼召他们，他们就撇下工作，跟从了主耶稣。当主耶稣经过税吏所在的税关时，看见马太，就呼召他，马太就跟从了祂。根据九章九节的记载，这似乎是主第一次遇见马太。主在祂的话语或外表上，必定有某种吸引力，叫马太跟从祂。
3The calling of Matthew is somewhat different from the calling of Peter, Andrew, James, and John. When Peter and Andrew were called, they were casting a net into the sea; and when James and John were called, they were mending their nets. The Lord called them, they left their work, and they followed the Lord Jesus. As the Lord Jesus was passing by the customs office, where the tax collectors were, He saw Matthew and called him, and Matthew followed Him. According to the record in 9:9 it seems that this was the first time the Lord met Matthew. There must have been some attracting power with the Lord, either in His word or appearance, that caused Matthew to follow Him
4跟从主包括相信主。人若不相信祂，就不会跟从祂。相信主是得救，(徒十六31，)跟从主是进窄门、走狭路、有分于诸天的国。（太七13～14。）
4To follow the Lord includes believing in Him. No one follows Him unless he believes in Him. To believe in the Lord is to be saved (Acts 16:31), and to follow Him is to enter the narrow gate and walk the constricted way to participate in the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 7:13-14
二 、为王豫备筵席
B. A Feast Prepared for the King
5十节说，『耶稣在屋里坐席，看哪，有好些税吏和罪人来，与耶稣和祂的门徒一同坐席。』这节所说的屋子是马太的家。（路五29，可二15。）身为这卷福音书的作者，马太特意不说这是他的家，也不说是他为主大摆筵席。这是他的谦卑。但路加五章二十九节清楚的说，利未，就是马太，『在自己家里，为耶稣大摆筵席。』因此，马太打开自己的家，为主和祂的门徒豫备了盛大的筵席。
5Verse 1 0 says, “And it came to pass as He was reclining at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined at the table together with Jesus and His disciples.” The house spoken of in this verse was Matthew’sho use (Luke 5:29; Mark 2:15). As the writer of this Gospel, Matthew purposely did not say that it was his house and that it was he who had made a great feast for the Lord. This was his humility. But Luke 5:29 says clearly that Levi, that is, Matthew, “made a great reception for Him in his house.” Thus, Matthew opened his house and prepared a great feast for the Lord and His disciples.
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6C. Many Tax Collectors and Sinners Participating
三、有好些税吏和罪人与王和祂的门徒一同坐席
in the Feast with the King and His Disciples
7十节说，『耶稣在屋里坐席，看哪，有好些税吏和罪人来，与耶稣和祂的门徒一同坐席。』这启示出马太是怎样的人。他是有罪、受人藐视的税吏，和许多罪人为友。他若不是这样低贱的人，为甚么只有税吏和罪人，没有高阶层的人，在他屋里与主耶稣一同坐席?马太虽是这样低贱的人，但他不仅成了门徒，更成了十二使徒中的一位。
7Verse 10 says that “many tax collectors and sinners came and reclined at the table together with Jesus and His disciples.” This reveals the kind of person Matthew was. He was a sinful, despised tax collector who had many sinners as his friends. If he had not been such a low person, why were only tax collectors and sinners and not those of a higher rank feasting in Matthew’sho use with the Lord Jesus? Although Matthew was such a low person, he was made not only a disciple, but one of the twelve apostles
8税吏是受藐视的人。几乎所有的税吏都滥用职权，假借名义，讹诈勒索。(路三12～13，十九，8。)纳税给罗马政府，令犹大人非常痛苦。百姓藐视那些从事收税的人，认为他们丝毫不值得尊重，（路十八9～10，）因此将他们与罪人同列。（太九～11。）我们真需要敬拜主，在神的怜悯之下，并藉著祂的恩典，甚至像马太这样一个低阶层的人，也能成为使徒！马太得救之后，极其感谢主，因此把家打开，为主和碰的门徒豫备了筵席。因此，这段话的开头如此甜美、亲切。
8A tax collector was a despised person. Nearly all tax collectors abused their office by demanding more than they should by false accusation (Luke 3:1 2-1 3; 1 9:2, 8). To pay taxes to the Romans2 was very bitter to the Jews. Those engaged in collecting them were despised by the people and counted unworthy of any respect (Luke 1 8:9-10). Hence, they were classed with sinners (Matt. 9:10-11). How we must worship the Lord that 10 even a person of such a low rank as Matthew, under God’s mercy and by His grace, could become an apostle! After being saved, Matthew was so grateful to the Lord that he opened his house and prepared a feast for Him and His disciples. Thus, this section of the Word opens in such a sweet, intimate way.
四 、法利赛人定罪王和税吏并罪人一同吃饭
D. The Pharisees Condemning the King for Eating with Tax Collectors and Sinners
9十一节说，『法利赛人看见，就对耶稣的门徒说，你们的老师为甚么和税吏并罪人一同吃饭?』法利赛人是犹太人中间最严紧的教派。他们夸耀自己超凡的宗教生活、对神的虔诚、并圣经的知识。当主耶稣和所有的税吏并罪人一同享受筵席时，法利赛人却批评、定罪祂，并且问门徒，他们的老师为甚么和这样的人一同吃饭。这问题指明，自义的法利赛人不认识神的恩典。他们以为神只按公义对待人。他们这样问，暴露他们对属天的王有异议，因而弃绝了祂。这是对属天君王之弃绝的继续。犹太宗教的首领，从三节起，已经开始弃绝祂。
9Verse 11 says, “And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, Why does your teacher eat with the tax collectors and sinners?” The Pharisees, the strictest religious sect of the Jews, were proud of their superior sanctity of life, devotion to God, and knowledge of the Scriptures. While the Lord Jesus was enjoying the feast with all the tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees criticized and condemned Him, and they asked the disciples why their teacher ate with such people. This question indicates that the self - righteous Pharisees did not know the grace of God. They assumed that God deals with man only according to righteousness. By asking this, they were exposed as dissenters to the heavenly King, thus rejecting Him. This is a continuation of the rejection of the heavenly King begun in verse 3 by the leaders of the Jewish religion.
五 、主启示自己是医生，是来呼召罪人的一位
E. The Lord Revealed as the Physician and as the One Who Came to Call Sinners
10主利用法利赛人题出问题的机会，非常甜美的启示祂自己是医生。在十二节，我们看见主回答法利赛人的问题说，『强健的人用不著医生，有病的人才用得著。』主告诉法利赛人，这些税吏和罪人是病人，主对他们不是审判官，乃是医生，是医治者。属天国度的王，在祂尽职为著国度呼召人跟从祂的事上，是作医生，不是作审判官。审判官的审判是按著公义，医生的医治是按著怜悯和恩典。那些被他作成属天国度子民的人，乃是患痲疯、（太八2～4、）瘫痪、（太八5～，九2～8、）发烧、（太八14～15、）鬼附、（太八16，～32、）患各样疾病的、(太八16、)以及受人藐视的税吏并罪人。（太九9～11。）若是祂作审判官，临到这些可怜的人，他们就都会被定罪、被弃绝，没有一个彀资格、被选上并蒙呼召，成为属天国度的子民。然而祂来尽职是作医生，医治、恢复、点活并拯救他们，使他们能重新构成祂属天的新公民，给祂用以在这败坏的地上，建立祂属天的国。主这里的话，含示自义的法利赛人，不领会他们需要主作医生。他们认为自己很强健，-因此被自义蒙蔽，不晓得自己是有病的。
10The Lord took the opportunity given Him by the Pharisees’ question to give a very sweet revelation of Himself as the Physician. In verse 12 we see the Lord’s reply to the Pharisees’ question: “Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill.” The Lord was telling the Pharisees that these tax collectors and sinners were patients, sick ones, and that to them the Lord was not a judge, but a physician, a healer. In calling people to follow Him for the kingdom, the King of the heavenly kingdom ministered as a physician, not as a judge. The judgment of the judge is according to righteousness, whereas the healing of the physician is according to mercy and grace. Those whom He made people of His heavenly kingdom were lepers (8:2-4), paralytics (8:5-1 3; 9:2-8), 13 the fever-ridden (8:14-15), the demon-possessed (8:16, 28-32), those sick of all kinds of illnesses 28 (8:16), the despised tax collectors, and sinners (9:9-11). Had He visited these pitiful people as a judge, all would have been condemned and rejected, and none would have been qualified, selected, and called to be the people of His heavenly kingdom. Rather, He came to minister as a physician, to heal, recover, enliven, and save them, so that they might be reconstituted to be His new and heavenly citizens, with whom He could establish His heavenly kingdom on this corrupted earth. The Lord’sword here implies that the self- righteous Pharisees did not recognize their need of Him as a physician. They considered themselves strong; hence, blinded by their own self righteousness, they did not know that they were ill.
11自义的法利赛人批评主耶稣，并且定罪所有不洁的人。但主似乎说，『这些人不是不洁的，乃是有病的。我来不是作审判官定罪他们，乃是作医生，作他们可亲、可爱、亲密的医治者。』主耶稣说这些话时，的确指明那些自以为义的法利赛人，实际上和其他的人一样是有病的。
11The self - righteous Pharisees criticized the Lord Jesus and condemned all those unclean people. But the Lord seemed to say, “These people are not unclean; they are sick. I have not come as a judge to condemn them, but as a physician, as their dear, lovely, intimate healer.” As the Lord Jesus was speaking these words, He was surely indicating that the Pharisees, who thought they were righteous, were actually just as sick as the others were.
12在十三节，主耶稣进一步对法利赛人说，『你们去研究，「我要的是怜悯，不是祭祀，」是甚么意思；我来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。』自义的法利赛人，自以为知道一切关于神的事。为著使他们谦卑，主告诉他们要多研究。
12The Lord Jesus gave the Pharisees a further word in verse 13: “Now go and learn what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” The self-righteous Pharisees assumed they knew all things concerning God. In order to humble them, the Lord told them to learn more
13怜悯乃是人从神所领受之恩典的一部分。但自义的人宁愿献东西给神，却不肯从神领受怜悯或恩典。这违反了神经纶的法则。神愿意向可怜的罪人施怜悯，照样，祂也要我们凭爱向人施怜悯。（弥六6～8，可十二33。）
13Mercy is a part of grace for man to receive from God. But self-righteous men do not like to receive mercy or grace from God; they prefer to offer sacrifice to God, to give something to God. This contradicts God’sway in His economy. Just as God desires to show mercy to pitiful sinners, so He wants us also to show mercy to others in love (Micah 6:6-8; Mark 12:33
14在这里主说，祂来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。事实上，没有义人，连一个也没有。(罗三10。)所有的义人，都和法利赛人一样，是自以为义的。（路十八9。）君尊的救主来，不是召他们，乃是召罪人。法利赛人夸耀自己的圣经知识，并且认为自己非常认识圣经。但在这里，主耶稣告诉他们要去研究，研究『我要的是怜悯，不是祭祀』这话的意思。主似乎告诉法利赛人：『你们法利赛人是自义的，你们毫无怜悯的定罪这些人，但神要的是怜悯。现在我是他们的医生，这是我向这些可怜的人施行神怜悯的时候。我在这里不是作审判官，我在这里乃是作可爱的医生，照顾他们的问题，现今我正在医治他们。』
14The Lord says here that He did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Actually, there is none righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10). All the righteous are self-righteous like the Pharisees (Luke 18:9). The kingly Savior did not come to call them, but to call sinners. The Pharisees were proud of their knowledge of the Scriptures, and they thought that they knew the Bible very well. But here the Lord Jesus told them to go and learn something, to learn the meaning of the word, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” The Lord seemed to be telling the Pharisees, “You Pharisees are self-righteous, and you condemn these people without mercy. But God desires mercy. Now is the time for Me to exercise God’s mercy upon these pitiful people by being a physician to them. I am not here as a judge. I am here as a lovely physician taking care of their problems, and now I am healing them
15你是义的么？你若说，『不是，我不是义的，』你就有福了。不认为自己是义的，却承认自己是有罪的人有福了。因为主来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。主可能对自义的人说，『你若自以为义，你就和我的来意不合，因为我来是为著罪人。不要认为自己是义的；你们必须领悟自己是多么有罪。你们若认为自己是罪人，你们就适合让我来。』
15Are you righteous? If you say, “N o, I am not righteous,” you are blessed. Blessed are those who do not think that they are righteous, but who recognize that they are sinful. The reason for this is that the Lord did not come to call the righteous; He came to call the sinners. The Lord could say to the self-righteous ones, “If you consider yourselves righteous, you are not suitable for My coming, because My coming is for the sinners. Do not consider yourselves to be righteous. Rather, you must realize how sinful you are. If you consider yourselves as sinners, then you are ready for My coming.”
16没有这些经文所描绘的环境，主耶稣就没有机会启示祂自己是医生。主不是仅仅告诉门徒：『你们必须知道我来不是作审判官，乃是作医生。』这不过是道理。当主与所有有病的人一同坐席时，祂启示自己是医生。那些税吏和罪人不是身体上有病，乃是属灵上有病。当主耶稣与他们一同坐席时，祂就医治他们。主告诉法利赛人说，『法利赛人哪，你们是审判官，我却是医生。身为医生，我只能医治有病的人。你们若觉得自己没有病，那么我就与你们无关，我就不能医治你们。我来这里是要召罪人，有病的人；不是召义人，健康的人。你们站在那一边－义人的一边，还是罪人的一边？你们若站在罪人的一边，那么我在这里就是你们的医生。』
16Without the environment portrayed in these verses, the Lord Jesus would not have had the opportunity to reveal Himself as the Physician. The Lord did not simply tell His disciples, “You must know that I have not come as a judge, but as a physician.” This would have been merely a doctrine. As the Lord was feasting with all those sick ones, He revealed Himself as the Physician. Those tax collectors and sinners were not physically sick; they were spiritually sick. While the Lord Jesus was feasting with them, He was healing them. The Lord was telling the Pharisees, “Pharisees, you are the judges, but I am the Physician. As a Physician, I can heal only the sick ones. If you feel that you are not ill, then I have nothing to do with you, and I cannot heal you. I have come here to call the sinners, the sick ones, not the righteous, the whole ones. On which side do you stand— the side of the righteous or the side of the sinners? If you take the side of the sinners, then I am here to be your Physician
17马太福音所启示的基督超过三十三方面，其中有一面说到基督是医生。祂不只是我们的王，我们的救主，和我们的生命；祂也是我们的医生。我们若有这异象，每当我们身体上、属灵上或心理上有病时，我们就会对祂有信心，倚靠祂。我们需要信靠祂作我们的医生。
17Matthew reveals more than thirty-three aspects of Christ, one of which is Christ as the Physician. He is not only our King, our Savior, and our life; He is also our Physician. If we have this vision, we shall have faith in Him and trust Him whenever we are sick physically, spiritually, or mentally. We need to trust Him as our Physician
18马太福音是一卷国度的书，但牠也是一卷满了属天君王之丰富的书。这位属天的君王是我们的医生，带著医治的权柄。他的医治不仅是能力的事，也是权柄的事。祂医治我们，不需要直接摸我们；祂只需要说一句话，祂的权柄就会随著祂的话而来。要记得百夫长的仆人得医治的事例。百夫长对主说，『只要你说一句话，我的仆人就必得医治。』（太八8。）不仅如此，百夫长能说，『我也是一个在权柄之下的人，也有许多人在我以下；我只要说一句话，他们就顺从，因为我的话带有权柄。主阿，你不需要到舍下来，你只要说一句话，你的权柄就与你的话并行。』主的话医治我们，不是用能力，乃是用权柄。基督徒常以为主医治人是因为祂能医治。这是天然的观念。主的医治不是能力的事，乃是权柄的事。祂只需要说，『疾病，去罢！』这就是权柄。祂也完全能用这同样的权柄，吩咐精神上的疾病离去。因此，祂是用权柄医治我们。
18The Gospel of Matthew is a book of the kingdom, yet it is also a book full of the riches of the heavenly King. This heavenly King is our Physician with healing authority. His healing is not simply a matter of power; it is a matter of authority. To heal us there is no need for Him to touch us directly. He needs only to speak a word, and His authority will come with His word. Remember the case of the healing of the centurion’s servant. The centurion said to the Lord, “Only speak a word, and my servant boy shall be healed” (8:8). Furthermore, the centurion could say, “I am also a man under authority, and many others are under me. I simply speak a word, and they obey it, because with my word there is authority. Lord, You don’t need to come to my home. Simply give a word, and Your authority will go with Your word.” The Lord’sword heals us not with power, but with authority. Often Christians think that the Lord heals because He is able to heal. This is a natural concept. The Lord’she al ing is not a matter of His ability to heal; His healing is a matter of authority. He simply needs to say, “Illness, go away.” This is authority. With this same authority He is also fully able to command mental illnesses to flee. Thus, He heals us with authority
19-因著法利赛人热心宗教，而且自义，主就对付他们。法利赛人以为税吏和罪人是受弃绝的。主就利用法利赛人对自己宗教观念的发表，启示祂自己是医生。祂似乎说，『法利赛人哪，你们这些宗教徒错了。我在这里不是定罪人的审判官，我在这里乃是医治人的医生。你们若愿意得医治，我也要医治你们。』这段话是多么甜美、亲切！
19Because the Pharisees were religious and self- righteous, the Lord dealt with them. The Pharisees thought that the tax collectors and sinners were rejected. This was their religious concept. The Lord took advantage of the Pharisees’ expression of their religious concept to reveal Himself as the Physician. He seemed to say, “You Pharisees, you religious people, are wrong. I am not here as a judge condemning the people. I am here as a Physician healing them. And I would heal you also, if you were willing to be healed.” How sweet and intimate is this portion of the Word
20伍、与宗教难合一、约翰的门徒和法利赛人
20V. FASTING WITHOUT THE BRIDEGROOM A. The Disciples of John and the Pharisees
21马太福音是一卷道理的书。牠在九章十四至十七节向我们陈明另一个事例：新郎不在就当禁食的事例。十四节说，『那时，约翰的门徒到耶稣跟前来，说，为甚么我们和法利赛人常常禁食，你的门徒倒不禁食?』十至十三节记载主对付老旧宗教里法利赛人的问题。现今，在十四至十七节，主对付新宗教里约翰门徒的问题。施浸者约翰抛弃旧宗教，在宗教之外的旷野开始他的职事。可是过了不久，他的门徒形成了一个新的宗教，阻挠人享受基督，正如老旧宗教的法利赛人所作的。施浸者约翰的职事是把人引到基督，使基督成为他们的救赎主、生命和一切。然而，约翰的门徒中，有些人漂离了他的目标，就是基督，转到一些作法上，使这些作法成了宗教。搞宗教，就是为神作事，却没有基督。即使作合乎圣经，也合乎基要道理的事，若缺少基督的同在，还是宗教。约翰的门徒，新宗教徒，和法利赛人，旧宗教徒，都常常禁食，却没有基督。他们没有基督作新郎，却使禁食成为宗教的事。另一方面，他们定罪基督的门徒。这些门徒虽然不禁食，却有基督与他们同在，并且活在祂面前。
21As a book of doctrine, Matthew presents us another case in 9:1 4-1 7: the case of fasting without the Bridegroom. Verse 14 says, “Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but Your disciples do not fast?” Verses 1 0 through 1 3 record the Lord’s dealing with the question of the Pharisees, who were in the old religion. Now in verses 1 4 through 1 7 the Lord deals with the problem of John’s disciples who were in the new religion. John the Baptist dropped the old religion and began his ministry in the wilderness outside of religion. However, after a short time, his disciples formed a new religion to frustrate men from enjoying Christ, just as the Pharisees in the old religion did. John the Baptist’s ministry was to introduce men to Christ that Christ might become their Redeemer, their life, and their all. However, some of his disciples drifted away from his goal, Christ, to some of John’s practices and turned those practices into a religion. To be religious means to do something for God without Christ. To do anything without the presence of Christ, even though it is scriptural and fundamental, is religious. Both the disciples of John, the new-timers of religion, and the Pharisees, the old - timers of religion, fasted much, yet without Christ. They did not own Christ as the Bridegroom, but made fasting a matter of religion. Meanwhile, they condemned the disciples of Christ who did not fast, but had Christ with them and lived in His presence.
22施浸者约翰生来就是祭司，但后来他完全放弃了宗教的东西。可是他下监后不到三年，他的门徒竟形成了一个新的宗教。宗教就是敬拜神、事奉神、作某些事讨神喜悦，却没有基督。宗教就是你为神作事，而没有那灵，没有基督。法利赛人为神作了许多事，但基督不在其中。他们作了许多事来事奉神，却没有那灵。现在施浸者约翰的门徒禁食而没有基督，没有那灵。然而这种禁食是为著神的。因此，他们形成了另一个宗教。所以十四节有旧宗教，法利赛人的宗教，和新宗教，约翰门徒的宗教。
22John the Baptist was born a priest, but later he fully abandoned everything religious. Nevertheless, less than three years after he had been put into prison, his disciples formed a new religion. To have a religion is to worship God, to serve God, and to do certain things to please God, yet without Christ. A religion is anything you do for God without the Spirit, without Christ. The Pharisees did a great many things for God, but Christ was not in them. They did many things to serve God, but they did them without the Spirit. Now the disciples of John the Baptist were fasting without Christ, without the Spirit. Nevertheless, this fasting was for God. Hence, they formed another religion. Therefore, in verse 14 we have the old religion, the religion of the Pharisees, and the new religion, the religion of the disciples of John
23我们多么容易搞出一个宗教来!不要以为只要丢掉老办法，捡起别的办法，你就能脱宗教。不论办法新旧，只要其中没有基督和那灵，就是宗教。你的新办法可能就是你的新宗教。请记住甚么是宗教：宗教就是离开基督和那灵而行事，要讨神喜悦。
23How easy it is to have a religion! Do not think that you can be free from religion by simply dropping an old way and picking up another way. No matter whether the way is old or new, it is a religion as long as it does not have Christ and the Spirit in it. Your new way may simply be your new religion. Remember what religion is: it is doing things to please God apart from Christ and the Spirit
24自义的法利赛人，旧宗教徒，因著基督与他们所定罪的税吏和罪人为友，感到困扰。（太九。）他们定罪祂与罪人一同坐席。禁食的约翰门徒，新宗教徒，因著基督和门徒坐席，感到为难，（太九10，）并且定罪他们不禁食。今天的情况也是一样。宗教徒在每一面都定罪我们。那么我们该作甚么?我们该和『医生』在一起。
24The self - righteous Pharisees, the old - timers of religion, were bothered by the fact that Christ made Himself a companion of tax collectors and sinners, who were condemned by them (v. 11). 11 They condemned Him for feasting with the sinners. The fasting disciples of John, the new- timers of religion, were troubled by the feasting of Christ and His disciples (v. 1 0) and condemned them for not fasting. The situation is similar today. On every hand the religionists condemn us. What then should we do? We should stay with the Physician.
二 、新郎同在不要禁食
B. Not Fasting with the Bridegroom
25在新宗教的事例中，主不仅是医生了也是新郎。在十五节主耶稣对他们说，『新郎和伴友同在的时候，伴友岂能哀恸？但日子将到，新郎要从他们中间被取去，那时他们就要禁食。』医生和新郎都是令人喜悦的。我很欣赏主的智慧。在法利赛人的事例中，祂将自己比喻为医生。如今在约翰门徒的事例中，祂将自己比喻为婚礼中的新郎。主问，新郎和伴友同在的时候，伴友岂能哀恸？和新郎同在是喜乐的时候。但新郎被取去的时候，他们就会禁食。
25In the case of the new religion, the Lord is not only the Physician, but also the Bridegroom. In verse 15 the Lord Jesus said to them, “Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Both the Physician and the Bridegroom are pleasant. I appreciate the Lord’s wisdom. In the case concerning the Pharisees, He likened Himself to a Physician. Now in the case with the disciples of John, He likens Himself to a bridegroom at a wedding. The Lord asked if the sons of the bridechamber can mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them. It is a joyful time with the Bridegroom. But when the Bridegroom is taken away, they may fast.
26『伴友』这辞是指主的门徒。主在地上尽职事的过渡时期中，他的门徒是祂的伴友，以后他们要成为祂的新妇。（约三29，启十九7。）新郎从伴友中间被取去，这发生在君尊的救主被取升天、离开门徒的时候。(徒一。)从那以后，他们就禁食。（徒十三2～3，十四23。）
26The phrase “sons of the bridechamber” refers to the disciples of the Lord. In the transitory period of the Lord’s ministry on earth, His disciples were sons of the bridechamber. Later they will become the Bride (John 3:2 9; Rev. 1 9:7). The Bridegroom was taken away from the sons of the bridechamber when the kingly Savior was taken up from the disciples into heaven (Acts 1:11). 11 After that, they fasted (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23).
27君尊的救主在对付旧宗教里自义并持异议的法利赛人时，指明祂是医生，要医治有病的人。(太九12。)祂在对付新宗教里禁食并持异议的约翰门徒时，启示自己是新郎，要娶新妇。施浸者约翰曾告诉他的门徒说，基督是新郎，要娶新妇。(约三25～29。)现在基督，君尊的救主，将这事题醒他们中间的一些人。君尊的救主首先医治跟从祂的人，然后使他们成为伴友，至终要使他们成为祂的新妇。他们不仅应当把祂当作医生，好恢复他们的生命，也应当把祂当作新郎，好享受与祂同在的生活。他们乃是与祂同在喜乐的婚礼中，并不是参加没有祂的悲哀葬礼。既是这样，他们怎能在君尊的救主面前禁食而不宴乐?这异议的问题指明，约翰的一些门徒已经落到新宗教里，并且也弃绝了君尊的救主。
27In dealing with the self-righteous and dissenting Pharisees of the old religion, the kingly Savior indicated that He was a Physician to heal the sick (v. 12). In dealing with the fasting and dissenting disciples of John who had formed the new religion, He revealed Himself as a Bridegroom to take the Bride. John the Baptist told his disciples that Christ was the Bridegroom to take the Bride (John 3:25-29). Now Christ, the kingly Savior, reminded some of them of this. The kingly Savior firstly healed His followers, then made them the sons of the bridechamber. Eventually He will make them His Bride. They should appropriate Him not only as their Physician for the recovery of their life, but also as their Bridegroom for a living of enjoyment in His presence. They were at a joyful wedding with Him, not at a sorrowful funeral without Him. How then could they fast and not feast before Him? This dissenting question indicates that some of John’s disciples had fallen into a new religion and also had rejected the kingly Savior
28约翰的门徒所问的，似乎是道理的问题，但主不以道理，却以一个最令人喜悦的人，新郎，来答覆。宗教的人总是注意道理，在道理上问『为甚么，』但基督只在意祂自己。跟从主之人的生活、行动，不该由任何道理，只该由主自己和主的同在，来规范并指引。
28The question of John’s disciples seemed to be one of doctrine. But the Lord did not answer with a doctrine, but with a Person, the most pleasant Person, the Bridegroom. The religious people always care for their doctrine with their doctrinal reasonings. But Christ cares only for Himself. The living and walk of His followers should be regulated and directed only by His Person and His presence, not by any doctrine.
29人在婚礼中禁食是可笑的。不仅如此，在别人享受婚筵的时候禁食，也是对新郎的侮辱。在此我们看见主的智慧。祂没有和他们争辩，但祂确实定罪了宗教徒。主似乎说，『你们宗教徒已经失去了目标。你们岂不知我是新郎，围绕我的门徒都是伴友么？他们不该禁食。他们必须与我一同坐席。』没有这两个事例，主耶稣绝不能被启示为医生和新郎。我们该为著法利赛人和约翰的门徒感谢主。我们甚至该为著所有的宗教感谢主，因为没有宗教所提供的场合，主就不能在许多不同的方面被启示出来。今天也是同样的情形。
29It would be ridiculous for someone to fast at a wedding. Moreover, to fast while others are enjoying the wedding feast would be an insult to the bridegroom. Here we see the Lord’s wisdom. He did not argue with them, but He certainly condemned the religious ones. The Lord seemed to be saying, “You religious people have missed the mark. Don’ty ou realize that I am the Bridegroom and that all My disciples around Me are the sons of the bridechamber? They shouldn’t be fasting. They must feast with Me.” Without these two cases, the Lord Jesus could never have been revealed as the Physician and as the Bridegroom. We should thank the Lord for the Pharisees and for the disciples of John. We should even thank the Lord for all the religions, for without the occasions afforded by religion the Lord could not be revealed in so many different aspects. It is the same today